Pressing machine



2 Sheets-Sheet r /NVE/vToR.

Filed June 1, 1955 lGEORGE s HULTZ ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 2., 1968 3,375,598 PRESSING MACHINE George Schultz, 54 Brush Hill Road, Newton, Mass. 02159 Filed .lune 4, 1965, Ser. No. 461,412 2 Claims. (Cl. 38-40) This invention relates to a pressing machine. In particular it relates to a pressing machine of the sort used by dry cleaners for the steam pressing of clothes.

The conventional pressing machine used by dry cleaners comprises a frame which supports a bottom fixed platen or buck and an upper moveable platen with steam being suppliable to one or more of the platens as desired by the operator. The downward, pressing motion of the upper moveable platen is conventionally performed mechanically by a foot pedal located at the front of the machine, a front handle on the upper platen or a combination of both. Springs are normally provided for upward return of the upper platen upon release by the operator of the pedal and handle.

The manual energy required for the downward pressing causes frequent fatigue among pressing machine operators. Prior described attempts to use power devices in moving the upper platen have generally failed to give the operator the control of pressure variation required for pressing garments made in a wide variety of fabrics, sizes and shapes.

One object of this invention is to provide a pressing machine wherein power means is provided for the operator to move the upper platen rapidly in an easily controllable sensitive manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide modification which can be readily incorporated in a conventional machine to provide such a power machine.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the specification which follows and from the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a pressing machine incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a transverse view along line 2 2 of the control section of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the control section.

The invention comprises generally a pressing machine having a iiuid operated movable upper platen which exerts an amount of downward pressure on the lower platen responsive to the operators pressure on a control lever. In its preferred form, the invention also incorporates a constant pressure lock in addition to the variable pressure control lever.

In modifying a conventional pressing machine, the modification kit comprises an air pressure system including an air cylinder and control valves in place of the foot pedal and associated linkages. The finger actuated control lever is preferably located on top of the machine so that the operator may move the top moveable platen downward at a pressure responsive to the pressure he exerts on the control lever.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated therein a preferred embodiment of this invention incorporated into a conventional pressing machine 10. The pressing machine includes a fixed bottom platen 11C, a top moveable platen 11b held on a platen support 11e which pivots on pin 11a on frame 11d. Mounted on the top surface of the platen support 11e is a valve control assembly which includes a control lever 12. Control lever 12 is accessible to the operator so that it can be depressed by pressing on knob 13 and provides a variable downward pressure on the upper platen as hereinafter described.

Vertically moveable control lever 12 is mounted on a pivot pin 12b in a frame also supports the associated valves. The assembly which permits constant pressure is housed in upper housing 17 and the assembly which permits variable pressure is housed in lower housing 18. The engaging surface 12a of arm 12 is normally in contact with the end of piston rod 62 and also return spring 16. Piston rod 62 is mounted in a small passage in valve body 104y and has an enlarged head 102 which engages a sliding block 106 so as to cause 106 to exert pressure against spring 107 mounted on slide block 108. Slide block 108 is loosely mounted with O-ring 109 in the middle chamber of valve body 103 and has a central portion with an elongated central hole in which hollow needle rod is moveable. The slide block 108 separates air chamber 113 from air chamber 112. Outer chamber 113 has an orifice 114 connecting to outlet passage or conduit 67. Needle rod 115 has a stop collar 115a and terminates in a valve head 118 which coacts with a spring 116 against a back plate. The longitudinal narrow hole in which needle rod 115 extends provides a valve chamber 110 which has an orifice for ybleed out 111 into inner chamber 112 which in turn has a bleed out 130.

The operating air cylinder 30 has a piston rod 33 pivotally connected to the back of the upper platen by pin 32. The bottom of the cylinder 30 itself is pivotally connected to pin 31 on the bottom frame. The connection 34 to the top of the cylinder, that is to say, the back of the piston ram 33a, includes a quick relief valve as does connection 37 to the bottom of the cylinder in front of the ramV 33a. The normal air supply coming through conduit 121 goes to a 3-way connection wherein one arm is connected at full line pressure 119 and one arm through a pressure regulator 35a to flexible line 35 running to upper connection 34 for cylinder 30. Connection 34 contains a pilot valve normally open but actuable by pressure in line 38.

As linger pressure is applied to the knob 13 on control lever 12, the piston rod 62 causes head 118 to be unseated from the valve 117. This causes the line pressure of inward air connected to inlet or opening 119 to enter outer chamber 113 and then out through 114 to conduit 67 in proportion to the pressure applied on the control lever 12. It should be noted that air admitted from the opening 119 in to the chamber 113 will go directly via conduit 67 to outlet orifice 53 thence through flexible hose 38 to connection 37 which also includes a quick relief valve to the bottom of air cylinder 30.

Passage of air through 38 not only admits controlled pressure air to the bottom of air cylinder 30, but also actuates the pilot valve in upper connection 34 to cylinder 30 so as to temporarily shut off the low pressure air normally fed from line 35 to give a small head of air on the ram of the cylinder.

As pressure on rod 62 is relieved, the head 118 is caused to reseat on valve 117, thus preventing any further line pressure air to come into the outer chamber 113. The trapped air bleeds out through the bleed out openings and 111, and the pilot valve in section 34 reopens permitting air into the top of 30.

The constant pressure unit which is housed directly above the variable pressure unit includes a pressure locking rod 14 having a knob 15 and O-rings 52 slidably mounted in chamber 50. Conduit 67 connects to chamber 50 which in turn connects with outlet 53. Conduit 68 also leads into chamber 50. When the rod 14 with its O-ring seals 52a and 52h is in fully inserted position, the O-ring 52 blocks any passage of air from conduit 68 to exit 53 but permits whatever variable pressure air comes through 67 to go out through 53. However, when the rod 14 is retracted, it permits 68 to connect with S3 and prevents 67 from connecting with 53. Since 68 is connected to full line pressure, this acts as a pressure lock. v

I claim:

1. In a pressing machine comprising a xed bottom platen and a moveable top platen, the combination of an air cylinder having a piston cable of moving said top platen both downwardly and upwardly, a manually actuable control lever under the control of the operator during pressing, valve means for varying the pair pressure in response to the motion of said lever, means connecting said valve means to an air supply, means connecting said valve means to said cylinder, controllable means for bypassing said valve means so as to permit maximum air pressure on said piston tending to move said top platen downwardly, `and means connected to said air supply for normally providing air pressure on said piston tending to move said top platen upwardly.

2. The pressing machine of claim 1 wherein the lever is located on the top platen.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,887,719 11/1932 Page 3828 2,298,860 10/1942 Auey etai 38-40 2,382,224 8/1945 Hicks .3s-4o 2,382,322 8/1945 Lomnzo 38-40 2,555,759 6/1951 Osborn 38-@41 3,201,879 8/1965 Hoffman 38-40 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. V. LARKIN, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,375,598 April 2, 1968 George Schultz It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

l Column 3, line 4, "cable" should read capable line 7, "pair" should read air Signed and sealed this 26th day of August 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. WILLIAM E. SCHUYLERJR.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN A PRESSING MACHINE COMPRISING A FIXED BOTTOM PLATEN AND A MOVEABLE TOP PLATEN, THE COMBINATION OF AN AIR CYLINDER HAVING A PISTON CABLE OF MOVING SAID TOP PLATEN BOTH DOWNWARDLY AND UPWARDLY, A MANUALLY ACTUABLE CONTROL LEVER UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE OPERATOR DURING PRESSING, VALVE MEANS FOR VARYING THE PAIR PRESSURE IN RESPONSE TO THE MOTION OF SAID LEVER, MEANS CONNECTING SAID VALVE MEANS TO AN AIR SUPPLY, MEANS CONNECTING SAID VALVE MEANS TO SAID CYLINDER, CONTROLLABLE MEANS FOR BYPASSING SAID VALVE MEANS SO AS TO PERMIT MAXIMUM AIR PRESSURE ON SAID PISTON TENDING TO MOVE SAID TOP PLATEN DOWNWARDLY, AND MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID AIR SUPPLY FOR NORMALLY PROVIDING AIR PRESSURE ON SAID PISTON TENDING TO MOVE SAID TOP PLATEN UPWARDLY. 